Methods for controlling glass sheet thickness

Title: Methods for controlling glass sheet thickness.Abstract: Methods for controlling thickness variations across the width of a glass ribbon (104) are provided. The methods employ a set of thermal elements (106) for locally controlling the temperature of the ribbon (104). The operating values for the thermal elements (106) are selected using an iterative procedure in which thickness variations measured during a given iteration are employed in a mathematical procedure which selects the operating values for the next iteration. In practice, the method can bring thickness variations of glass sheets within commercial specifications in just a few iterations, e.g., 2-4 iterations. ...

BACKGROUND

U.S. Pat. No. 3,682,609 to Stuart M. Dockerty (the Dockerty patent) describes a system for controlling the thickness distribution across the width of a glass ribbon by locally controlling its temperature. To do so, the Dockerty patent uses a pair of refractory plates or walls whose long axes run parallel to the width of the ribbon. One plate is located on each side of the ribbon and the pair are positioned along the length of the ribbon above the point where the thickness of the ribbon becomes fixed. The plates are placed relatively close to the ribbon so that they can absorb heat from the molten glass.

An array of tubes is located behind each plate and oriented so that fluid (e.g., air) ejected from the tubes impinges on the back of the plate. The fluid flow from each tube is individually controllable. By adjusting the fluid flow from the tubes, the local temperature on the front face of the plate can be controlled. This local temperature affects the local heat loss, and thus the local temperature, of the molten glass, which, in turn, affects the final thickness distribution across the width of the ribbon. In practice, the Dockerty system has proven highly effective in controlling thickness variations across the width of glass ribbons and is widely used in the production of glass sheets for such demanding applications as substrates for liquid crystal and organic light emitting diode displays (LCDs and OLEDs).

As currently practiced, the air flow rates in the tubes of the Dockerty system are adjusted manually by operators. Operators look at a measured sheet thickness trace and use their experience and judgment, or “feel,” to decide which tubes to adjust, and by how much, to eliminate non-uniformities in the thickness trace. This reliance on “feel” causes a variety of problems.

For example, when there is a significant change to the process, such as a higher glass flow rate or a different glass composition, substantial time is often needed during start-up until operators acquire a “feel” for the way the changed process behaves. Furthermore, as thickness variation specifications are tightened, there is no way of knowing whether operator “feel” will be able to meet the new specifications and, if so, how long it will take to do so. Although operator “feel” has worked in the past, it is unclear if it will be up to the challenges imposed by ever more exacting standards for glass sheets, especially those used as substrates for display applications.

More generally, relying on operator “feel” means that new operators must undergo a learning process before they can make sound judgments regarding air flow distributions across the width of the ribbon. With the expanding demand for flat screen televisions and monitors, there may come a time when trained operators becomes a scarce resource limiting the number of glass making machines that can be in operation at any one time.

The present disclosure addresses these problems and provides methods for controlling the temperature distribution across the width of a glass ribbon so that sheet thickness variations are within specifications without the need for trained operators who have a “feel” for the system. Rather, it has been found that an iterative process which does not rely on “feel” can be employed to meet thickness specifications using a small number of iterations provided that each iteration is based on a mathematical analysis (described below) of the thickness behavior produced by the prior iteration.

SUMMARY

A method for producing glass sheets is disclosed which includes:
(I) producing a glass ribbon (104) having a width;
(II) using a plurality of thermal elements (106) to control the temperature of the ribbon (104) across its width at a location along the length of the ribbon (104) that is prior to the location where the thickness of the ribbon (104) becomes fixed, the thermal elements (106) being distributed across the width of the ribbon (104) and each element (106) being associated with an independently adjustable operating variable Di; and
(III) separating glass sheets from the ribbon (104);

wherein step (II) comprises selecting a set of values for the operating variables Di of the thermal elements (106) by:

(a) assigning a sheet thickness response function Δti(x) to each of the thermal elements (106) of the form:

Δti(x)=func(x,x0i,wi, . . . ),

where x is a location on the sheet, x0i is a location-of-the-thermal-element parameter, wi is a width-of-effect parameter, and func is a function of at least the variable x and the parameters x0i and wi;

(b) selecting values for the x0i and wi parameters;

(c) selecting a set of Di values for the thermal elements (106), the set of Di values being associated with a set of amplitude values Ai;

(d) applying the set of Di values to the thermal elements (106) and producing at least one glass sheet;

(e) measuring a thickness distribution of at least one glass sheet produced in step (d);

(f) determining a revised set of Ai values by minimizing a functional of (i) the measured thickness distribution or a derivative thereof, (ii) the set of Ai values, and (iii) optionally, a target thickness distribution, the functional including a linear superposition of the sheet thickness response functions for the thermal elements (106);

(g) applying a set of Di values associated with the set of Ai values determined in step (f) to the thermal elements (106) and producing at least one glass sheet;

(h) measuring a thickness distribution of the at least one glass sheet produced in step (g); and

(i) comparing the thickness distribution measured in step (h) with a thickness variation criterion and, if necessary, repeating steps (f) through (h), one or more times, until the criterion is satisfied, where for each repetition, the measured thickness distribution and the set of Ai values used in the functional which is minimized in step (f) are those determined in the prior repetition.

The reference numbers used in the above summary are only for the convenience of the reader and are not intended to and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. More generally, it is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary of the invention and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention.

Additional features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. It is to be understood that the various features of the invention disclosed in this specification and in the drawings can be used in any and all combinations.

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20101125|20100293998|methods for controlling glass sheet thickness|Methods for controlling thickness variations across the width of a glass ribbon (104) are provided. The methods employ a set of thermal elements (106) for locally controlling the temperature of the ribbon (104). The operating values for the thermal elements (106) are selected using an iterative procedure in which thickness |